Ahsoka Tano and PTSD: How Anakin Skywalker Helped Her Overcome Trauma and Find Her Will To Live
Since the inception of Star Wars in 1977, it has always been more than just space battles, lightsaber duels, and strange alien worlds. At its heart, it's a series of tales that highlight the complexity of human experiences and emotions. One character who exemplifies this is Ahsoka Tano, the former Padawan student of Anakin Skywalker.
Originally introduced in the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated film, Ahsoka was met with mixed reviews. However, over time, she grew into one of the most beloved figures in the Star Wars universe. A major part of Ahsoka's narrative arc is her coping with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) - a poignant and relevant issue faced by many in our real world.
When we pick up with Ahsoka Tano in Dave Filoni’s Star Wars: Ahsoka series, we see the character has changed. She’s in a dark place, she’s having issues with her friend Sabine. Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka is not the same bubbly character from the animated shows. She’s dealing with a lot of stress, anxiety, and depression due to what she has gone through in the past.
Ahsoka has had an insane life, she was a child when she was thrust into war. Ahsoka's life is steeped in war and violence. Throughout The Clone Wars series, she was thrust into battles, facing life-threatening situations and witnessing the deaths of many friends. The Clone Wars itself was a brutal and morally challenging conflict, blurring lines between right and wrong.
The most significant trauma, however, came in the form of betrayal. Ahsoka was wrongfully accused of bombing the Jedi Temple and was subsequently expelled from the Jedi Order. Though she was eventually acquitted, the experience deeply scarred her, causing her to lose faith in the institution she once revered. Then there was her experience with her Master Anakin and his turn to the dark side, which is another form of betrayal.
Throughout subsequent appearances, notably in Star Wars Rebels, The Mandalorian, and the Ahsoka series, Ahsoka displays symptoms commonly associated with PTSD:
Avoidance: Ahsoka's decision to walk away from the Jedi Order and to forge her own path reflects a form of avoidance, a coping mechanism for those traumatized.
Hyper-arousal: In several instances, she's seen to be on high alert, always ready for threats, even in seemingly peaceful situations.
Re-experiencing the Trauma: Her interactions, especially with figures from her past, often bring back painful memories. This re-experiencing can manifest as flashbacks or nightmares.
Mood Alterations: Ahsoka exhibits marked changes in mood across her appearances post-betrayal, from sadness and detachment to anger.
All of this comes to a head in Ahsoka Episode 5 “Shadow Warrior” where we see Ahsoka confront her former Master, Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader. It’s here that he’s looking to continue her training and over the course of her experience with him, she is taken back to battles that they had fought in The Clone Wars and Siege of Mandalore.
This whole experience is like a form of therapy and it escalates into Ahsoka battling Anakin and in the process, we see his darker Darth Vader side emerge. As Anakin proceeds to attack her, she finds her inner strength and disarms him. It’s at this point that she boldly exclaims that she chooses to live.
At the end of Anakin’s lesson, Ahsoka makes a choice to choose life over fighting or dying. Her training here is complete. Smiling at his Padawan, Anakin assures her that there's hope for her yet.
Ahsoka is then rescued and is looking to continue her mission with a new outlook on life. Her whole mood and demeanor changes! We’ve seen her in a dark funk the whole season, but she has now broken out of that funk with the help of Anakin. Her bubbly optimistic personality is back and she’s more stoic than she has been. It’s the Ahsoka that we all fell in love with from the animated series.
Aksoka needed to work out the mental darkness that she was going through. What makes Ahsoka's portrayal special is not merely her experience of trauma but her resilience in its face. Ahsoka shows that one can find purpose and meaning after traumatic events. Her path becomes one of aiding the oppressed and standing up against tyranny, notably the burgeoning Galactic Empire.
Ahsoka's struggles mirror those of many who face PTSD in real life. Whether it's war veterans, survivors of natural disasters, or individuals who've experienced personal traumas, PTSD is a real and challenging condition. I’ve had my own issues with PTSD due to my own life experiences.
Ahsoka Tano's story arc is an example of the potential for growth and recovery after traumatic experiences. Her journey is an inspiring one, reminding us that even in the darkest times, hope and purpose can be found. Also, one thing I specifically latched onto with the outcome of this latest episode was the hope that people can find their old selves again after going through these varying traumatic experiences.
I don’t know if I’m reaching here with this article, but it’s something that stuck out to me and was on the forefront of my mind while I was watching the latest episode of Ahsoka.